Kansas City Brigade will return for 2011 season

The Arena Football League announced Thursday that the Kansas City Brigade will return for the 2011 season.

The AFL suspended operations in 2009 and returned in 2010 with 15 teams but did not include the Kansas City Brigade. Kansas City will re-enter the league along with new franchises awarded to Philadelphia and San Jose.

The Brigade once again is under the ownership of Chris Likens.

“I always believed that arena football would return to Kansas City — we were simply awaiting the right circumstance,” Likens said. “Suspending operations for a year allowed the league to restore its viability and properly position the AFL for sustained, future success.”

The Brigade originally received a franchise in January 2006, playing games at Kemper Arena. The team moved to Sprint Center in 2008. The team complied a 16-32 record in three seasons. The best season was in 2007, when the Brigade finished with a 10-6 record and earned the No. 3 seed in the playoffs but was eliminated in the first round.

Kevin Porter, the team’s former head coach, was named as general manager. He is working on putting together a coaching staff. Porter was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1988 and had a six-year career in the National Football League as a cornerback/safety, including time with the New York Jets.

Porter said all the players in the league are free agents at the end of each season, so teams can sign any player they can get under contract.

Season tickets are being sold on a first come, first serve basis by calling the Sprint Center ticket office.